As is generally known in the art of telephone communication, there has been extensively used a certain connection block referred to sometimes as a "66-M type terminal connector block" that provides rapid wiring installation of key telephone systems, PBX systems, cables, and other terminal equipment. Typically, these 66-M type terminal blocks are mounted on a standoff bracket and serve as an interface with user provided equipment. Further, the users are generally required to mount a connector(s) on the side(s) or bottom of the bracket so as to interface with the 66-M type terminal block. In FIG. 1A, there is illustrated a conventional 66-M terminal block 2 of the prior art with a connector 4 connected to one side thereof and has been labeled "Prior Art." These side connectors are frequently difficult to connect and disconnect from a plug 5 during installation and repair. In addition, if protection devices were necessary, this required additional labor costs for installing the same to the 66-M type terminal block. These protection devices were generally specially-designed separate assemblies which had to be connected to the terminal block, that is, plug-in type assemblies.
The present invention represents improvements over the conventional 66-M type terminal block used in telephone equipment and other communication applications. In the present invention, the housing has been designed to fit into the same footprint as that of the conventional 66-M type terminal block. The pre-assembled printed circuit board is mounted inside the housing and is adapted to receive any number of circuit protector combinations of overvoltage, overcurrent, and line status devices so as to provide the kind of electrical protection desired. Further, a first side of the housing is adapted to receive the exposed side connector device, and a second side of the housing is adapted to receive the protected side connector device. Each of the exposed side and protected side connector devices can be one of several different types of connectors so as to provide versatile mechanical connections to the circuit protectors.